Russia's Defense Ministry has accused Ukraine of planning a nuclear provocation in the war zone, marking the first anniversary of Russia's invasion this week.

According to Russian allegations, Kiev plans to blame Moscow for the indiscriminate bombing of nuclear facilities and the resulting radioactive pollution of the environment.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, ships containing radioactive materials were transported across the border from a European country - whose name was not mentioned - without being cleared through customs, with the intention of managing a nuclear contamination incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in the past that he has identified a site where Kiev is building a so-called "dirty bomb" to spread radioactive contamination.

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency were unable to find relevant evidence during a visit last month.

Since beginning its invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago, Russia has repeatedly accused Kiev of planning "fake" operations with unconventional weapons, using biological or radioactive materials.

No such attack has happened yet.

Ukraine and its allies reject such accusations, describing them as attempts to spread disinformation, and accuse Moscow of planning to carry out nuclear accidents in an attempt to hold Ukraine responsible.


French tanks for Ukraine

Meanwhile, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecorno, announced - in an interview with the newspaper "Le Parisien" published on Sunday - that the AMX-10 light combat tanks will be delivered "next weekend" to Ukraine.

The delivery of these tanks coincides with the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

At the beginning of last January, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the decision to send these tanks, within the framework of modernizing the equipment that NATO delivers to Ukraine, after hesitating for months for fear of prompting Moscow to escalate.

The French president did not specify at the time the number of tanks that could be sent.

The Minister of the Armed Forces confirmed to the French daily that he would not mention the number of tanks "so as not to give strategic information to Russia," noting that the training of the Ukrainians on this new equipment is "almost finished," so it will be delivered "at the end of next week."

"In general, the pace of training is accelerating on our soil, with specialized training on the equipment we provide, and in Poland, with more general training of entire battalions at the rate of 600 soldiers per month from March," he added.

An AMX-10 light combat tank during previous exercises of the French army (Getty Images)

Regarding the possibility of delivering combat aircraft to Ukraine, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insists on obtaining, Locurno said that "nothing is prohibited", but he pointed to the complexity of "logistical and practical issues", and the French official did not rule out training pilots as Britain does.

Locorno defended France's position of maintaining "discussion channels with the Russians whenever it is useful," echoing President Emmanuel Macron's position.

And he stressed that "this is the role of a power like France," noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging "this conventional war in light of his power of nuclear deterrence."

Macron said earlier that he wanted Moscow to be "defeated" by Ukraine, but warned those who wanted "above all to crush Russia" that "it will never be France's position".

Besides France, Germany, the United States, Britain, Poland, France and Spain also announced plans to send tanks to Kiev.

The Ukrainian reaction came, welcoming what he called the "Great Tank Alliance", as the Ukrainian President stressed the importance of these tanks in the face of Russia, which is preparing for a new wave of aggression.


field situation

On the ground, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that his country's army is inflicting "heavy" losses on Russian forces near the town of Vohlidar in the eastern Donbass region.

"The situation is very complicated. We are fighting. We are breaking the invaders and inflicting heavy losses on Russia," he added in his videotaped nightly address.

Referring to several towns in Donbass, where fighting has been concentrated for months, Zelensky said, "The more losses Russia suffers, in Donbass, in Bakhmut, Volidar, Marinka and Krymina, the sooner we end this war with a victory for Ukraine."

In Bakhmut, the battles taking place in the vicinity of the city intensified, as the Russian forces and "Wagner" units are trying to surround the city and cut off supplies to the Ukrainian forces.

The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Russian forces launched more than 50 missile attacks on civilian infrastructure on the eastern front.

Wagner said encircling Bakhmut and forcing the Ukrainian forces to surrender was the ideal tactic to preserve the city's infrastructure.

Wagner announced two days ago that it had taken control of the town of Paraskovievka, which borders Bakhmut from the north, and pictures of the pro-Russian Donetsk forces showed great destruction in this town located on the road between the cities of Seversk and Bakhmut.

Since the summer of last year, the Wagner Group and the Russian army have been trying to control the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk district of the Donbass region (eastern Ukraine), and despite the recent progress made by the Russians, the Ukrainian forces are desperate to defend this city.


New penalties

In a related context, US President Joe Biden's administration plans to impose new restrictions on Russian exports and other sanctions on Moscow targeting key industries, according to Bloomberg News Sunday, according to informed sources.

The agency indicated that the new sanctions will target the Russian defense and energy sectors, financial institutions and a number of individuals, adding that the United States and its allies may also discuss ways to prevent evading and circumventing sanctions in order to disrupt the support that Russia receives from other countries.

Bloomberg said that the European Union proposed imposing new sanctions, including Iranian entities believed to be providing Russia with drones and other military supplies, technology, components, heavy vehicles, electronics and rare items.

This month, the United States announced the imposition of new sanctions on Russia because of its electronic activities that targeted 7 individuals, including 6 Russians and one Ukrainian.

After this step, Russia issued a decision to prevent 77 American citizens from entering the country, in a retaliatory step.